The Fox Terrier breed comes from the United Kingdom, it is a nice little pet and its coat varies between smooth or wire. They are characterized by being very sociable, playful, intelligent, active, faithful and ideal as companions. In addition to being very popular, keep in mind that they need a lot of exercise to burn energy.
Find out which are the most common diseases in Fox Terriers.
What should you keep in mind if you want to have a fox terrier at home?
In general it is a fairly healthy breed and if hereditary problems in this sense, however they are prone to certain diseases to keep in mind if you are thinking of bringing a dog of this breed to your home.
And not only the health aspect but other important details regarding your life, what type of medical control they should and what are those pathologies that usually manifest in these dogs no matter how healthy these are. As we have said before, it is not a breed that is characterized by serious or hereditary diseases, what they do have is the propensity to suffer some health problems that are mainly linked to the breeding lines. That is the importance of knowing which diseases are the most common in the Fox terrier.
One of the things you should check is the breeding line as an effective way to know if there were serious diseases in their parents that your pet may be inheriting. It is also important that you are very attentive to any possible changes that occurs in the appearance of the fox terrier, since this is an indication that there is something out of the normal that requires the attention of the veterinarian and without delay.
In this breed it is recommended to visit the vet at least twice a year, the deworming schedule must be followed to the letter both internally and externally, as well as vaccinations must be done when appropriate. To be strict with these indications, you will be saving yourself problems with the pet and you will raise their quality of life minimizing the chances of getting sick.
In these dogs daily exercise is key for several reasons, including avoiding episodes of anxiety, behavior problems and physical problems that tend to develop due to lack of physical activity.
Health problems that often afflict fox terriers
Regardless of what type of coat these furry ones wear, there are diseases that commonly manifest in this breed:
Lens luxation and cataracts
In this breed the propensity to suffer from these conditions is high. In the case of cataracts in dogs, these occur when the lens becomes cloudy, which is caused by the breakage of its fibers. What happens next is that a white to bluish spot forms. These can be of hereditary origin, but they are also caused by other health problems. The good news is that you have two solutions: surgery and treatment.
In the case of dislocation and sub-dislocation of the lens, it is also very common in fox terriers. The dislocation appears with the complete rupture of the fibers of the lens, being totally displaced. When it comes to a sub dislocation, lens stays in place. In certain cases where treatment is applied and this improves the conditions of the lens and there are others that merit surgery.
Deafness
This condition usually occurs in white-coated dogs and is a genetic trait. Even so, the lack of total or partial hearing capacity does not imply that the dog can lead a life with activities within the normal. In case you have a deaf fox terrier, what you need is to get soaked at the time of how to treat and care for a pet in his condition and provide him with the quality of life he deserves.
Shoulder dislocation
One of the most common problems in fox terriers is precisely shoulder dislocation, which consists of the displacement of the head of the humerus from the cavity where it is attached, which causes damage to tendons and ligaments in this area. Less common in this breed is the Legg-Calvé disease, which consists of the degeneration of the joint located in the hip which is progressive and begins with the wear of the head of the femur, thus progressively deteriorating the joint which becomes inflamed until its absolute degeneration.
Atopic dermatitis
As a general rule, skin allergies in dogs are produced by irritants in contact with the skin or by food, and this breed is prone to suffer from some of these allergies and especially to suffer from atopic dermatitis. This consists of a process of inflammation and hypersensitivity in the skin, which is caused by allergy. This disease has no cure, only treatment for the symptoms and avoiding contact with the agent that causes the allergy.
Thyroid diseases
These wire-haired specimens usually present some thyroid hormone imbalances, which generates hypothyroidism or what is equal to low thyroid hormone and there is also hyperthyroidism in which thyroid production is elevated. The good thing is that they can be properly treated by the vet.
Epilepsy
Another pathology that this breed is prone to suffer from is epilepsy. The advantage is that once the neuronal problem is detected, it can be properly treated in such a way that the episodes are minimized. Likewise As a pet owner, you must know how to act when an attack occurs to avoid further damage to your dog..
Finally, we must conclude that either it is a fox terrier or any other breed of dog or pet that you want to host, it is vital that you previously know about its habitat, its health traits, food in each of its stages, habitual behaviors, since they are elements what They will tell you if it is the pet you are really looking for. A fox terrier is a very sociable and active animalAs you have read from the beginning, which indicates that it is not a pet to leave home alone for many hours every day, as it is more for company and needs to be constantly doing some activity.
Just as it is a perfect companion, it also deserves a rigorous veterinary control at least twice a year if you want to keep it healthy both physically and mentally. Even when they are prone to certain diseases, the good care and timely medical attention about these possible conditions. In short, with proper care, daily exercise, training, medications and vaccines, plus the promotion of activities that help them develop their intelligence, you will have a wonderful pet for many years that will be healthy and will provide you the company you need.